


The City Sings Them Back To You

by lco123



Series: Pretty Little Liars/The Bold Type Crossover-verse [2]
Category: Pretty Little Liars, The Bold Type
Genre: Crossover, F/F, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-11 21:37:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15981008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lco123/pseuds/lco123
Summary: “That was probably my mistake all along,” Hanna admits. “Letting Mona get away.”Mona gets Hanna a job at Scarlet, in six songs.





	The City Sings Them Back To You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [speakpirate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/speakpirate/gifts).



> Happy (slightly early) birthday, my friend! The idea for a continuation of last year's birthday fic would not leave me alone, and I so hope you enjoy it.
> 
> This takes place about a year or two after Everybody Here Was Someone Else Before, but it will make sense to those who haven't read that fic. Timeline wise, I'm going to stay don't worry about it. Ignore most of season 7 of PLL and most of season 2 of TBT.

**1\. "Bastards"** **\- Kesha**

Hanna does a pretty good job of holding it together, until she doesn’t.

She holds it together, more or less, through her final breakup with Caleb. She holds it together through moving back to New York, finding an apartment, and getting moved in. When her business manager calls to say that the latest collection isn’t selling well and Hanna might need to explore other options, Hanna takes the news in stride. She makes a plan. She calls Mona, who’s working at _Scarlet_ now, and sees if there are any openings. Mona is all business on the phone, and Hanna tries to match her tone. The level of calm she feels is almost unsettling.

Her first day at _Scarlet_ starts okay. Hanna is working in the fashion department under a pretty and bubbly woman named Sutton, who seems to know Hanna’s designs and is complimentary without being annoying. There’s plenty of work to focus on—they’re putting together a shoot on must-have fall accessories—and Hanna is relieved to have a project.

It’s only when Mona shows up at lunch—looking freaking fantastic, like she’s spent the week at a fancy spa—that Hanna starts to crumble. Mona offers Hanna a timid hug, but she seems more comfortable around Sutton. They’re friends, clearly.

“Well, exes, actually,” Sutton reveals with a smile. “We dated for, like, three months.”

“Two,” Mona corrects softly, eyes darting between Sutton and Hanna.

“We’re better as friends,” Sutton says, and that’s that. Except suddenly Hanna’s eyes are burning, and she excuses herself to the bathroom for the rest of lunch. Afterward, she keeps finding reasons to dart into the fashion closet in an attempt avoid Sutton.

It doesn’t work, of course. Apparently the fashion closet is kind of a _thing_ at _Scarlet_. Sutton finds her in there crying while pretending to look at a ruffled blouse.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Sutton asks with concern.

“Nothing,” Hanna lies.

“That shirt is really ugly,” Sutton replies. “But I don’t think it’s worth crying over.”

Hanna grants her a small snort of laughter for the joke.

“Look,” Sutton continues. “You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong, but I think I’ll just hang out here with you for a little bit. I don’t know about you, but I hate crying alone. Would that be okay?”

“Okay.”

A few minutes pass in mostly silence. Hanna snuffles and gets her tears mostly under control.

“I just went through a bad breakup,” she finally murmurs. “And a move. And my business might be failing—”

“And Mona and I dated,” Sutton adds.

Hanna’s stomach clenches. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Maybe nothing,” Sutton offers, sounding mildly apologetic but perhaps a bit knowing. “Maybe everything.”

“That’s not it,” Hanna insists. “It’s just been really hard. I feel like I’m failing.”

“Hey.” Sutton puts a hand on her arm. “I know it might feel that way, but you’re not failing. You’re starting over, and that’s really brave. My old boss worked at _Scarlet_ for years, and he gained a ton of experience and contacts that helped him launch his own line. And now it’s thriving! Yours can do the same. You’re super talented, Hanna.”

“You think?”

“Are you kidding? I freaked out when I found out that Mona knew you!”

“That was probably my mistake all along,” Hanna admits. “Letting Mona get away.”

“She’s pretty amazing,” Sutton agrees. She looks like she wants to say more about that, but instead she says, “You ready to go back in?”

Hanna nods and Sutton helps her get to her feet.

“Do you like Kesha?” Sutton asks as they head out of the fashion closet.

“Yeah,” Hanna replies.

Sutton smiles. “Listen to 'Bastards' on your way home. It’ll help, I promise.”

It does.

 

 **2\. "I'm Not That Girl"** **- _Wicked_**

Jacqueline wins a bunch of tickets to _Wicked_ in a charity auction, and she distributes them to the staff. Hanna is all set to follow in Sutton and Jane’s footsteps and resell hers, but when Mona finds out that Hanna’s never actually seen the show, she announces that they’re going.

“But I don’t even like live theater,” Hanna protests. “I can always see the people spitting when they say their lines, which is super disgusting.”

“ _Wicked_ is a classic,” Mona insists.

“But aren’t a bunch of the classics, like, secretly super racist?”

“A _modern_ classic,” Mona emphasis. “All about the power of female friendship. It’s fantastic, and we’re going.”

Hanna goes through the motions of complaining, but she’s actually pretty excited. She’s been working so hard, and while she enjoys _Scarlet_ a lot, the idea of a night out on the town is sort of thrilling. Even if it involves sitting in a stuffy theater.

Besides, she hasn’t gotten a lot of one-on-one time with Mona lately. Things have been really good between the two of them; Hanna can tell that Mona is flourishing here, that she’s found a community of people who appreciate her. She’s so happy for Mona, but she also misses when it was just the two of them. Which she often feels guilty about, so she tries not to dwell on it too much.

They meet at the theater. Mona looks awesome, as usual, and somehow she’s traded in their cheap seats for some really good ones close to the stage. “But not so close that we’ll be in the spit-zone,” she assures.

Hanna has to admit that the show is quite engaging. The songs are a little cheesy but clever, and the voices are incredible. She actually laughs a few times, which she didn’t expect.

Mostly, Hanna is surprised by how emotional she feels. Elphaba is such a misunderstood character, and Hanna can’t help but sneak a few glances at Mona during some of the sadder scenes. Her heart aches for them both.

Part of the way through Act 1, Elphaba sings a song about the boy she’s into not loving her back. Hanna is still dealing with the breakup enough that romance-y stuff tends to bum her out, so she tunes out the lyrics at first. But then a phrase in particular catches her ear: _“Don’t dream too far. Don’t lose sight of who you are.”_

When Hanna looks to her side, Mona has tears in her eyes. 

Hanna reaches across the space between them and squeezes Mona's hand.

They hold hands all the way to intermission.

 

**3\. "What's Up?" - 4 Non Blondes**

Hanna helps Spencer and Paige move into their new apartment in Chelsea. They were living in D.C. for a while, but now Spencer’s been tapped to run Cynthia Nixon’s reelection campaign, and Paige has been hired as the assistant swim coach at a nearby prep school. The apartment is cozy but seems to suit them. There’s even a little alcove that they can devote to their kitten, Rachel Meow-dow.

Spencer’s engagement ring catches the early evening light as Hanna helps her lift the final chair from the moving truck. “We can do whatever you want after this,” Spencer promises. “You name it.”

What Hanna really wants is to introduce Spencer and Paige to her friends from _Scarlet_ , so she starts a group text chain that ends with everyone at a karaoke bar. Paige seems mildly uncomfortable with all the fashion talk, but then Kat asks her about what it’s like being an out queer teacher and they’re off and running. Spencer and Jane talk all about Jane’s series of articles on Trump’s impeachment, and everyone is in such deep conversation that they nearly miss their song.

But then Sutton pops up from the table, grabbing Jane and Kat’s hands, and the three of them launch into their surprisingly on-key rendition of "What’s Up?" Adena pulls out her camera and starts taking pictures for her latest series.

Spencer, Paige, Mona and Hanna sit at the table together, watching the show. It could be weird—it probably _should_ be, considering—but it isn’t. They don’t have the energy or desire to fight anymore.

“So, Mona,” Spencer begins. “You and Kat run the social media department together?”

“We do,” Mona confirms. “It’s a big job.”

“What’s it like sharing the spotlight?” Spencer’s tone could sound accusatory, but Mona doesn’t seem to take it that way.

“It’s great,” Mona says. Hanna knows that she’s telling the truth. “It’s a wonderful team of people, and Kat and I get along well.”

“They’re the non-sexual power couple of _Scarlet_ ,” Hanna states. “They’re _awesome_ together.”

Mona bites her lip, pleased, and nudges Hanna’s shoulder in acknowledgment. Spencer’s eyes narrow but she says nothing.

On stage, Kat, Jane and Sutton launch into the chorus, their words getting muffled with laughter.

“They’re so…” Spencer says, trailing off.

“Carefree?” Hanna offers.

Spencer nods. “Were we ever like that?”

“No,” Paige replies. “We never got the chance.”

As if on cue, Spencer and Hanna’s phones simultaneously chime with a text. Hanna stiffens and hears Spencer’s breath catch. They lock eyes. Slowly, Hanna flips her phone over.

It’s a text from Emily asking about dates for an upcoming summer trip.

Spencer barks out a relieved laugh and Hanna unconsciously leans toward Mona.

“C’mon,” Spencer says. “Let’s do a song.”

 

**4\. "Dress" - Taylor Swift**

Hanna and Sutton are running the cover shoot for the May issue. It isn’t going particularly well. They’re doing a woodland nymph aesthetic, with a forest-y backdrop and a dress made of these ridiculous cloth butterflies that refuse to stay put. _Scarlet_ ’s cover girl is Cara Delevingne, and she’s wearing a long blonde wig that won’t cooperate with her dress or the wind machine. When the wig gets caught in her straps for the fourth time, Hanna marches onto the set and tries to fix it herself.

Cara, at least, seems to be in a good mood, though she’s getting prodded in multiple directions, and when she twists one way Hanna finds herself accidentally copping a feel.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry!” Hanna exclaims, feeling her face redden as she pulls her hand off of Cara’s boob.

Cara grins at her. “No need to apologize. In fact, you can stay there longer, if you like.”

Hanna’s eyes widen. “I have to—go,” she stammers, waving her hand vaguely in the direction of Sutton. “They…need me.”

Cara pouts. “That’s a shame.”

Hanna’s body feels a little funny as she walks back to Sutton by the accessories station.

“You look weird,” Sutton proclaims.

“I think Cara Delevingne is flirting with me.”

Sutton nods in recognition. “Yeah, she does that. It’s totally harmless, but if you don’t like it she’ll stop.”

“I don’t know if I don’t like it,” Hanna says quietly.

Sutton lifts an eyebrow. “Have you dated women before?”

Hanna shakes her head. “No, but being interested in women wouldn’t be a huge shock or anything. It’s more like…” She trails off, even though she has a pretty clear idea of how that sentence could end.

“She isn’t the woman you want flirting with you?” Sutton prompts gently. “Is it Mona?”

“Is what Mona?” asks Kat, bopping over to their corner of the set. “What’s going on, ladies?”

Sutton’s gaze volleys between Hanna and Kat, and when Hanna nods, Sutton says, “Hanna might be having a Mona-specific gay awakening.”

Kat smiles. “Ah. You know a thing or two about that, Sutton.”

“Sure do,” Sutton says nonchalantly.

Kat directs her attention to Hanna. “Do you think about her when you masturbate?” A cameraman walking by them chokes on his water, and Kat rolls her eyes.

Hanna feels herself flush. Again. “I…haven’t gotten that far.” More or less the truth. “I _have_ been thinking about her when I listen to Taylor Swift. And I don’t even _like_ Taylor Swift. Girl seriously needs a new stylist.”

“Word,” Sutton agrees.

“T. Swift is basically peak White Feminism,” Kat says. “But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t cried to her while drunk before, so.”

“What era Taylor?” Sutton asks. “Country star or ‘real Taylor can’t come to the phone right now’?”

“Mostly just that 'Dress' song,” Hanna replies. She’s been listening to it on a loop all week and keeps picturing Mona’s face when she does.

“ _I don’t want you like a best friend_ ,” Sutton sings, then winces as if hearing the implications of the lyric. “Yikes.”

“Yeah.” Hanna groans. “I don’t know if it’s real or I’m just, y’know, grateful to her for basically saving my life a bunch of times, or what.”

“You can talk to her about it,” Sutton suggests.

“Or just play her that song,” Kat offers. “The lyrics of which, I might add, are about wanting someone to tear your clothes off, so I don’t think you’re merely feeling _gratitude_ toward her.”

“What song are we talking about?” asks Jane as she walks over to them, cardboard tray of coffees in hand.

“Hanna’s having a Taylor Swift-related identity crisis,” Sutton explains.

“Isn’t Taylor Swift peak White Feminism?” Jane asks.

Kat beams. “Tiny Jane reads my Tweets.” She turns back to Hanna. “Talk to Mona,” she instructs. “It’s the only way you’re going to answer your question.”

 

**5\. "If Ever I Would Leave You" - _Camelot_**

Mona and Hanna are on their way home from the launch party for the redesigned _Scarlet_ app. Hanna recently moved into her new, much more centrally-located apartment, so they’re able to ride the same train together. It’s been a long day followed by a longer evening, with lots of networking and cocktails and loud music. Hanna feels tired and tipsy. Her feet ache a little from the fancy shoes she’s been wearing. She’s thankful to finally be with just Mona, and she’s ready to go home.

They’re waiting for the train in comfortable silence when the sound of a trumpet echoes through the terminal. Hanna usually finds the trumpet kind of annoying, but whoever’s playing it is legitimately talented. Hanna likes the song, even if she doesn’t recognize it, and she finds herself nodding along to its mournful beat.

“It’s from _Camelot_ ,” Mona says quietly, the first words either of them have spoken in a while.

“Of course you know that,” Hanna replies.

“The film adaptation is abysmal, and frankly, most of the songs from the original show are lackluster. But this song is strong.”

Hanna smiles. “I like it, too.”

Mona hums along with the trumpet player for a few bars, matching his pitch perfectly. Her face is soft—serene, even. Hanna can’t look away.

The train arrives then, flooding the terminal with warm air. Inside, it’s crowded. Mona points to the one empty seat and motions for Hanna to sit down.

“No, you can—”

Mona cuts her off. “You’ve been complaining about your feet hurting all night.”

Hanna takes a seat, and at the next stop the one beside her becomes available, so Mona can sit too. Hanna feels her exhaustion getting the better of her. She blinks her eyes a few times to keep from drifting off.

“We’re almost home,” Mona promises.

Hanna’s apartment is closer to their stop, so Mona walks her home. “You can stay here tonight,” Hanna offers as they stand outside the building. “It’s late.”

Mona smirks. “Are you worried about me? I _can_ take care of myself, I know.”

“Oh, I know. But there’s nothing wrong with letting me take care of _you,_ for a change.”

Hanna doesn’t mean for her statement to sound so loaded, but it does, and Mona must feel it too because she rocks back lightly on her heels.

“I need to go home,” Mona says. Something in her tone has shifted, become less playful and more guarded.

“Okay. Text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.” Hanna has lived off and on in this city for years, but she still sometimes worries about them out here alone at night. She likes to tell herself it’s because she’s used to small towns, even though she suspects it more likely has to do with A.

“I will. Thank you for a lovely evening.” Mona hovers, like she’s waiting for permission to do something. Hanna rolls her eyes and pulls Mona into a hug, which Mona quickly reciprocates.

Hanna doesn’t want to pull away. She wants Mona to come upstairs with her. She wants to be with Mona, always. They haven’t gotten the chance to talk—she hasn’t initiated a talk, because she’s been confused, and she hasn’t wanted to ruin the good thing they have here. But right now, Hanna doesn’t feel confused at all. She feels perfectly clear.

As Mona pulls away, offering a tiny wave and heading down the dark street, the truth hits Hanna like a lightening bolt.

She’s in love with Mona.

 

**6\. "These Arms of Mine" - Otis Redding**

Kat and Adena’s wedding reception is, unsurprisingly, held at a super swanky hotel in Midtown. The ceremony itself seemed to reflect Adena in many ways: lovely and heartfelt, blending traditional elements with achingly personal vows. The reception, on the other hand, is all Kat: glitzy and over-the-top, “extra” by Kat’s own admission. It’s undeniably fabulous. Sutton gave herself and Hanna permission to borrow dresses from the fashion closet for the occasion, which is more or less not against the rules, so long as neither of them spill anything. In the interest of her Vivenne Westwood dress, Hanna decides to steer clear of the shrimp cocktail.

Mona looks stunning too, of course. She scored a Monique Lhuillier gown that Sutton swears isn’t from Scarlet, and Hanna is distracted by her all night. Hanna doesn’t want to say anything that could screw up the wedding, though at this point she isn’t sure if she’s just finding ways to avoid their inevitable conversation. But it’s getting harder to avoid, with Mona looking like that and the general vibe of the evening.

Anyway, she’s trying to have a good time. After dinner and cake, Kat’s parents manage to talk the DJ into easing away from Kat’s pre-approved setlist of songs released after 1990 and into some older hits. Kat seems too taken with her new bride to notice or care, and the music choice pleases the crowd. Hanna joins Sutton and Jane on the dance floor and they sloppily lip-sync along to Elton John and Diana Ross. Mona joins them, eventually, after some mild cajoling by Sutton. They’re not really dancing with so much as at one another, with a lot of jumping and pointing, until the mood shifts abruptly when a slower song comes on.

Hanna recognizes it immediately. “This was in _Dirty Dancing_ , right?”

Mona nods, and awkwardness hangs in the air for a beat as Hanna contemplates her next move. Sutton and Jane shuffle back to their seats, both panting a little from the workout of having hopped around for the last six songs. Hanna takes a breath and extends a hand to Mona.

“Dance with me?”

Mona’s eyes flick between Hanna’s outstretched hand and her face before she accepts the offer. She gingerly places her palm at Hanna’s waist until Hanna pulls them closer together, their bodies touching as they sway in a timid slow dance.

Hanna clears her throat, needing something to break the tension. “Remember the first time we watched that movie?” she asks, her mouth nearly against Mona’s ear. “Patrick Swayze was so hot.”

“Jennifer Grey was no slouch, either,” Mona adds.

Hanna chuckles, her muscles starting to relax. “No, she wasn’t.”

“I don't know why you love that movie so much.”

“It’s so romantic!”

Mona pulls her head back slightly, arching an eyebrow. “It’s a romance brought about by a botched abortion.”

Hanna shrugs. “I can forgive that part.”

Mona’s mouth twitches in a half smile. “You can forgive a lot.”

The statement hangs heavily between them. Hanna takes a deep breath as the song finishes playing, the singer wailing on about longing for his lover.

“This feels really right, to me,” she says softly.

“What does?”

Hanna stops swaying but keeps her arms around Mona. “Being here with you.”

“ _With_ me?” Mona’s eyes are wide, unblinking.

“You know what I mean.”

A shadow crosses Mona’s face. She drops Hanna’s hands and takes a small step back. “I…I have to go.”

Hanna’s stomach quivers. “What?”

“I can’t,” Mona says. She squares her shoulders, turns on her heel, and walks off the dance floor.

Hanna follows behind her, calling, “Mona, wait!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay—,” Mona calls back, not looking at Hanna as they wind through the tables of guests still finishing their cake.

So much for not ruining the wedding.

“Mona, I’m sorry! Please talk to me!” Hanna begs.

They make it out of the reception hall and into the hallway where a few guests are lingering near the doorway. Mona has stopped moving away but still won’t look at Hanna.

“Can we talk?” Hanna asks again.

Mona presses her fingertips against her forehead.

“Please?”

Mona sighs, holding out for one more second before motioning toward the women’s bathroom. Inside, there’s a lounge area away from the stalls that isn’t exactly private, but at least beats the hallway. Hanna sits down on the chaise lounge and is thankful when Mona sits beside her.

“I’m sorry,” Hanna says quietly. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I shouldn’t have assumed that you felt that way. I mean, I thought that you did, at one point—”

“I did,” Mona interjects, her tone flinty. “I do.”

Hanna inhales sharply. “You do?”

Something in Mona seems to snap at that. “God, Hanna, of course I do!” She finally looks at Hanna, but it’s almost worse than her not looking, because her eyes are filled with tears. “I never stopped. That’s why it didn’t work out with Sutton. But we can’t.”

“Why not?”

Mona shakes her head, as if willing no more more tears to come. “Because our friends are getting married, and you’re feeling sad and sentimental, and I’m right in front of you. I’m convenient. I’m a sure thing. You don’t really want me.”

“Don’t tell me what I want!” Hanna insists, her own voice getting hoarse with tears. “I do want you! I’ve been wanting you, it’s like this thing that’s eating at me. And it’s not for any of those reasons that you said. It’s because…” She pauses, trying to find the words to express everything that she’s been coming to terms with this past year. “You’re _it_ , Mona. You’ve always been it.”

Underneath all of the hurt in Mona’s eyes, Hanna thinks she sees a spark of hope. “Please don’t say that if you don’t mean it. I can’t—it would break my heart.” The pain behind her words makes Hanna’s stomach ache. She’s been carrying this for _so long_. “I’m good here. I’m finally really good. I worked my ass off to get here.”

“I know you did, and I know I’ve hurt you before, even when I didn’t mean to. But I _do_ mean what I’m saying. Seeing you here, seeing this life you’ve built for yourself—it’s incredible.” Hanna has to say it all, so she pushes through the tears. “It’s made me realize how much I love you.”

Mona’s breath seems to catch in her throat. “What?”

“I love you,” Hanna repeats, firmly. “Maybe it’s too late. I really hope it isn’t.”

“It…isn’t,” Mona says slowly. “I don’t think it ever would have been. You… you love me?”

Her tone is so incredulous that Hanna has to suppress a laugh. “Do you need it in writing?”

Mona answers her by crossing the distance between them—so little, after all this time. She wraps her arms around Hanna’s neck and presses her mouth against Hanna’s. Hanna tugs her closer by the waist, deepening the kiss, and they’re in evening gowns, so it’s slightly clumsy, but it’s also the most perfect first kiss that Hanna can imagine. She’s giggling when they pull apart.

“What’s so funny?” Mona asks, brushing her thumb along Hanna’s cheekbone.

“It’s just—you’ve had these feelings for me for all these years, and I just did the whole love confession thing, and you _still_ haven’t said it,” Hanna points out. “I’m not offended, but it’s kind of ridiculous.”

Mona pulls back a bit, letting her hands drop to Hanna’s lap. “I did say it. A long time ago. You just weren’t ready to listen.”

The words echo in Hanna’s head: _I really loved you once, and I really was your friend._

Mona’s right. Hanna knew, of course, what those words meant, but she couldn’t let herself understand them.

“I’m ready now,” she promises.

Mona kisses the back of Hanna’s hand. “I.” Kiss. “Love.” Kiss. “You.” Kiss. “Better?”

Hanna grins. “Much.” She tugs Mona to her feet. “C’mon, we’re missing the reception.”

They walk back to the reception hall hand-in-hand, and Mona lets Hanna pull her back onto the dance floor. Another song is playing, but Hanna can’t quite place the lyrics. Something about love and being happy.

Sutton is clearly taking a lot of joy in exaggeratedly playing the role of a chivalrous man as she dips Jane. Kat and Adena are dancing beside them, moving too slow for such an upbeat song, though no one is going to fault the brides for wanting to hold one another.

When Sutton sees the expressions on Mona and Hanna’s faces, her mouth opens wide with delight.

“We figured a few things out,” Hanna tells her, and that statement is enough to briefly break Kat and Adena’s spell. They turn to face Mona and Hanna, enveloping them in a multi-person hug.

“I’m not the only one getting lucky on my wedding night!” Kat declares.

“ _Kat_!” Adena scolds good-naturedly before winking in Hanna’s direction.

“Are we late for anything important?” Mona asks. Her eyes may be red but her lipstick is also smudged, a sight which only makes Hanna want to kiss her again.

Jane shakes her head. “Nope. You guys are right on time.”

“On time for what?” Hanna asks, but she doesn’t get an answer, just a wide smile from Jane.

They all keep dancing; bouncing and pointing, holding each other tightly and spinning apart. The music seems to gets louder, their voices mingling to create new lyrics, punctuating the chorus with the sound of laughter. The noise rises higher and higher, up to the ceiling and out through the open windows, until it’s as if the very city itself is singing. 


End file.
